DECLARATION: ANOTHER CATHOLIC PRIEST DEPORTED FROM RUSSIA

VATICAN CITY, SEP 10, 2002 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director, Joaquin Navarro-Valls, made the following declaration on the deportation of another Catholic priest from Russia this morning.

"This is such a serious act that now there is talk of a true persecution. The most worrying thing is that the Holy See has not received any official explanation regarding the motives for these expulsions. The Holy See will try to resolve the problem through diplomatic channels."

OP;EXPULSION PRIEST;...;RUSSIA; NAVARRO-VALLS;VIS;20020910;Word: 90;